Weight Watchers

I'm down 92 pounds since February of this year on a Paleo diet. No grains, no legumes, no milk. My cholesterol is better than its ever been, I haven't had a crippling attack of gout since march (When I usually was hobbling around 5-7 days a month), and my IBS symptoms have dissapeared completely. I'm not calorie restricting at all, I eat to satiety. I exercise regularly, walk about 3 miles a day, and twice a week I do a few calisthenics. I went for a 7.5 mile hike and carried my toddler through it for the first time a few weeks ago, and even though I'm not in the greatest shape, I could do it. Saying that thyroid and gluten intolerance doesn't cause weight gain and other health issues is ridiculous, read some studies before you blather on. Better yet, try going paleo for 3 months, see how you feel.

 

Reread. I did not say that gluten intolerance or thyroid doesn't cause health issues. I said they do not cause fatness. I'm not a doctor, Sean. Nor do I pretend to be one. I do not have time to research studies about eating, nor do I care to. So how do we explain the obvious success of Weight Watchers then? Do the math. On that diet, you can eat anything. Most are successful because they eat LESS of anything. The ones who failed at it, failed, not because their thyroid was in a uproar, but because they resumed their higher calorie diets.

As far as under active thyroids go, perhaps the weight gain that accompanies this condition can be attributed to the over all loss of energy altogether. Again, not a doctor. Glad you are feeling better.

 

Hmmm, quick google of hypothyroidism lists one of the main symptoms as weight gain. Quick google of gluten intolerance lists one of the main symptoms as weight gain. New studies are showing as many as 15-20% of the US may have issues with gluten. Gluten allergies have been linked to multiple autoimmune diseases. One of the main symptoms of many autoimmune disorders is the inability of the intestinal linings to absorb nutrients. When this happens, your body becomes hungry even though you have had enough calories because it is trying to get the micro nutrients it needs. Most overweight people are actually suffering from malnutrition, which causes them to want to eat more. I'm not a doctor either, I'm just a Kinesiology/Nutrition major, but I don't go around saying that there is only one way to succeed at a diet. I do read studies, and quite a few of them. Most of the latest studies have said that calories don't matter at all.

 

Since I had some extra time on my hands, I decided to do some research; here's what the Mayoclinic.com told me:

"Although there are genetic and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through exercise and normal daily activities. Your body stores these excess calories as fat. Obesity usually results from a combination of causes and contributing factors, including:

• Inactivity. If you're not very active, you don't burn as many calories. With a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you use through exercise and normal daily activities.
• Unhealthy diet and eating habits. Having a diet that's high in calories, eating fast food, skipping breakfast, eating most of your calories at night, drinking high-calorie beverages and eating oversized portions all contribute to weight gain.
• Pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman's weight necessarily increases. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.
• Lack of sleep. Getting less than seven hours of sleep a night can cause changes in hormones that increase your appetite. You may also crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.
• Certain medications. Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don't compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids and beta blockers.
• Medical problems. Obesity can sometimes be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and other diseases and conditions. Some medical problems, such as arthritis, can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain. A low metabolism is unlikely to cause obesity, as is having low thyroid function.

 

So far so good on WW. Making healthier choices, especially around lunch time, and am getting full from smaller portion sizes. Down 7 pounds thus far.

 

Great job Bear Cub! Keep it up!

 

Hey... first post back on the new TFP!

Weight watchers is pretty good, from what I've heard. I ride the weight gain/loss roller coaster despite the fact that I thought I had lost the weight for good back in 2005/2006. (had to check the old database, I had lost 111 lbs in around 10 months) It's the maintenance that yet eludes me. I think I need to do the chronicle again, I managed to get all the way back up to 284. I'm back to my hardcore plan and was 253 this morning. It was harder to get started now that I'm a little older, but doing pretty well. The motivation this time was a genuinely unhealthy blood panel. Yeah, I was chubby again (according to the charts "obese") but the bloodwork (high blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol) put me in the "near stroke" range.

So... here we go again.

 

Good luck with that Mister Coaster. Good idea to get your blood work done. I'm in fact waiting on my test results. Hang in there, you did it once before, you will again this time - but with a bit more motiviation.

 

Signing up with Weight Watchers, increasing my activity, and being more conscious of my body's cues, I've lost about 10 lbs in 4 weeks. For some people it's faster, for others it's slower, but I'm pleased with and confident in my progress. If doing it exclusively on-line is working, power to you. I prefer going to the meetings, having that tangible support system, putting faces on others who are going through it, too. And I really like that our leader has lost nearly 340 lbs--that's no typo; 340!--in two and a half years.